The Big Swim 2012 St Margarets to Deal Pier 19th August 2012

[Gary Holmes]

The big sea swim! St Margaret's Bay, via Kingsdown Beach, to Deal Pier on Sunday 19th August!  Pete Bailey has said the tides are perfect for the repeat of last years marathon swim for competent sea swimmers.  You can swim the whole distance or stop or join at Kingsdown beach, but each section will take at least an hour so its not for you if you cannot swim well in the sea for that time.
Pete has arranged a safety boat, and is asking for any Kayak support from members to back up the safety boat.
The proposed format is:
Meet at Kingsdown Beach at 11:00 am near the Zetland Arms Pub for a safety briefing. Swim bags with change of clothes towels etc to be collected and put in support van.  Swimmers to be transported then to St Margaret's, please can you sort out support crew for lifts etc for before and afterwards.
Swim scheduled to start at 12:00 Midday.  Drinks and food etc can be left for collection at Kingsdown.
This is not a race, and we ask that all swimmers support each other, and stay in contact with the support crew on the safety boats  whilst swimming.
Wetsuits of course allowed.  No charge for this swim but we suggest a donation to either MacMillan Cancer Care or The Stroke Association via the Homepage of at least £10.00.
Any helpers. Kayak's (the more the better) and support crew would be most welcome.  Please can you add your names below for swim and support so planning can start.  Please contact Pete for further info.
If the weather does turn out to be bad, the swim of course will not take place - safety first.

[Lucie Park]

Sounds good Gary-when is it?

[Lionel Wray]

According to front page it is Sunday 19th August.

[Catherine Wilson]

Please count me in for swim

Catherine

[Lou]

I'll be there providing my late shift at work goes without a hitch.....with fins I'll try to get a kayak too.

[Jo Malpass]

Please add Tim's name for the swim.

Many thanks
Jo

[Lucie Park]

Oh yeah...missed the date in the title! Duh...didn't realise it was so soon I won't be able to make it  Swim safe all.

[mark71]

Count Jill and me in for the Kingsdown - Pier leg,

Cheers
Mark W

[Gary Holmes]

Thank you all for another good turnout and support for the second Big Sea Swim charity event. 25 people took part, either swimming the whole course from St Margarets Bay to Deal pier, or joining at Kingsdown or Walmer Castle.  Excellent weather and tides made for a fast warm swims for all, and the new red, yellow and green swim hat system kept similar ability groups together making the numerous support kayaks job easier.
 
Hopefully everyone who swam will be making a donation to either the MacMillan Cancer Care or The Stroke Association charities via the link on the front page, so it was all in a good cause too.  Although at todays date (Wednesday) I can see only 5 or 6 swimmers have donated, please can you do this soonest?

I have posted up some photos taken this morning on the Club Flickr site which you can excess bottom left of the Home Page screen.  Many thanks to all the support crew in the boats and on land, and to Peter "midnight Ironman" Bailey for thinking of the event.
 
Look forward to an even bigger big swim in2013!